Paid Members Egg Shen Posted June 19, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted June 19, 2013 i'll probably hang on until Friday to watch it anyways, but i fucking hate spoiler tags too. Just avoid the thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted June 19, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 19, 2013 Yeah, it's either going to be avoid the thread or everyone uses spoiler tags until after Friday's showing. I'm not arsed really but I'm just going to avoid the thread and watch it Friday or the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I'm not going to lie, I won't be waiting until Friday. I always browse Junkie or Helwani's site during the day and I'll end up forgetting and getting the results spoiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) My brother's a cunt. He text me the results of the Mo and Babalu fights this morning and being half asleep, I'd read it before I realised what I was actually reading. I'm livid. Edited June 20, 2013 by wandshogun09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 My brother's a cunt. He text me the results of the Mo and Babalu fights this morning and being half asleep, I'd read it before I realised what I was actually reading. I'm livid.Haha. I watched the Mo fight online this morning and his knock out is fucking a thing of beauty. Have yet to see the rest of the card though so I think I will give it a watch on Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathrey Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I won't get to watch the fights till Tuesday cos I'm in Barcelona, but I was told the results as I know Babalu has retired, which I am kind of glad to hear. As sad as I will be not to see him fight again, it was time, his chin was just too weak after years of damage. I hope he's quit before there is any permanent damage done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) Yeah it's a shame how it's ended but it's probably for the best. As you say, his chin's been faded for a while now and at 37 he's not going to get any better than he is, only worse. He's had a good career though and nothing to hang his head about. He goes all the way back to the early days of MMA, the Vale Tudo fights in Brazil, he fought in UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, RINGS, Affliction, Cage Rage, One FC. The only places he didn't fight were Pride and WEC. Â Fought a who's who as well with wins over Shogun, Chael and Henderson and fought Fedor and Liddell when they were killers. I always kind of hoped he'd end his career in the UFC, it's a shame his run there ended with him getting sacked for holding that choke on David Heath too long. I think they would have brought him back eventually but he'd always seem to lose a fight just as he'd start gaining momentum. Â Babalu quote; Â "It's kind of emotional for me to talk about this right now, but I think maybe I've been in the cage more than anybody in this room here. I lived the life. That's what I want to say. I have no regrets. I was happy to help this sport grow. Â I'll keep continuing to help the sport to grow, but I won't fight anymore. I wished for a good fight. I wish I could have been faster. I wish I could have been stronger than I used to be. But my body cannot continue to do this anymore, and it's time for me to step out." Â The good thing is, it seems like this is all his own decision. It's rare a fighter can look at his own career objectively and recognize that it's time to move onto something else. Most fighters refuse to admit it and end up having to be pressured into retirement, but Babalu seems content to step off now which is good. Edited June 20, 2013 by wandshogun09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Lawal puts Petruzelli away with a nice shot, but I think after he got KO'ed in his last fight this tournament has basically been set up as a coming out party for him. He won't have any issues dealing with Jacob Noe (unless he walks into another shot), and he certainly wouldn't have had any issues with Sobral either.Noe is far too stationary to cause any 205lbs fighter worth anything any real issues.Nice to see War Machine get a win on his return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
METAL ON METAL Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Petruzelli has also retired after this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Petruzelli has also retired after this show.He had taken a beating in his last two fights, and that KO to Lawal was a bit scary looking. If he doesn't have to fight he's best retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted June 21, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) holy shit, that Mo KO will probably end up on my KO's of the year list, a punch KO clean on the ground, it was devastating. Petruzelli to his credit came out and went at Mo, Mo rightfully took it to the mat because Petruzelli was making it tough on the feet for him.  Noe/Babalu was fight of the night by default really but it was a quality battle. As David mentionde Noe doesn't have much for Mo but he's a guy i'll tune in for in future, massive for 205lb and he's swinging some serious power in those fists. For someone who's been known for having a bit of a shakey chin in the past Babalu took some heavy shots and just kept coming back, good fight. The end of Babablu leaving his gloves on the mat was great too, true warrior...he probably would have liked to have gone out against a bigger named opponent but he went down fighting till the end.   The heavyweight tournament was abit of a non-event, 2 lighting quick finishes, Minakov is gonna walk through Martinez in the next round, that dude seriously looks the business.  Nice to see War Machine get back on track too, took out a decent opponent clinically, hopefully the dude keeps his head screwed on this time...his bird though  bit off point, but it's something ive noticed in Bellator for a while now...when the Russians (and there's a lot of them) do their pre-fight interviews and they get voiced over, im convinced that what the voiceover guy is saying is not what the fighter is actually saying, the speeches are just too perfect and script like...stupid but it annoys me Edited June 21, 2013 by Ebb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) Decent show.It was not the best start with them exploiting the criminal past of War Machine if you are concerned about the sports image. After disposing of a journeyman, War Machine displayed trash talk from the Tyson Fury school of refinement. I get why War Machine is employed due to his infamy and potential marketability though.The two Heavyweights fights were notable for one man in Minakov, I was very impressed with him. Russia has not produced much on the UFC front as of late, it would be nice to see a new face for Russian MMA, especially a prospect in the Heavyweight division at a time where prospects are inconsistent to say the least. The other 3 Heavyweights seemed to be paying tribute to the glory days of Heavyweight bumblers like Paul Buentello and Tim Sylvia, I see no reason why Minakov will not sweep the board in Bellator if Ron Sparks is worthy enough to be in a semi final. I look forward to seeing and learning more about Minakov when he fights It was sad seeing Babulu in a labouring 3 rounder with a guy I think he would have subbed handily in his prime. It was not for lack of effort as even the most hardened critic I think would have rooted for Babulu to finish that takedown on Noe in the second. I may/will cover Babulu's career and my thoughts in the past thread, but I will say here I think he made the right choice and I hope he sticks to it. Noe showed me nothing to convince he could make waves in the UFC, and for someone of Babulu's former status it is beneath him to carry on operating at such a low level.From what we saw Mo looked decent, anyone he questions his power he generates in his GnP has certainly been answered. We did not really get to see how he is coming along striking wise, after he ran before he could walk in his previous fight where he was knocked out. However, he showed a commItted takedown and proved that he is willing to go back to his wrestling game to get the W. Noe as I said above showed nor the skills or physcial attributes to trouble Mo, and I expect Mo to finish him handily when they meet. I hope a rematch with Newton or a megabucks clash with Rampage would be next for Mo after Noe.The commentary was inoffensive, and that is godsend in the Jon "Robotic" Anik and Joe "Mid Life Crisis" Rogan era of MMA commentary. The prouction I liked, and Viva did not do anything to offend me with their coverage. I will watch Fightmaster and post my thoughts when I get round to watching it, but I felt the big names like Couture and Shamrock being there helped the promotion seem more legit, and made up for the D-Level Heavies and TUF castaways that made the promotion seem 2nd rate.Overall, I am more likely than not with its decent TV slot and employment of King Mo, to now become a regular viewer. So thumbs up from my side. Edited June 21, 2013 by jimufctna24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I was very impressed with Fight Master.Reality MMA is now quite passe, with the millionth series of TUF is progress. The times of feeling it a novelty that a MMA fight is on your screen died a good 6 or 7 years ago. Luckily Spike and Bellator have recognized this and produced a show with a new dynamic and plenty of potentially beneficial features.Firstly, the fights are shown in bite sized chunks, which in this case helps the show flow better. Full fight unless short were on-existent and that is a good thing with the oversaturated nature of MMA in 2013. Secondly, it seems like despite Spike being the forefather of in-house antics and crash TV, it seems this show will be more like The Contender rather than TUF. It is not only welcome on a freshness level but also on a professional level, as I feel the crash TV element of MMA has soundly run its course.Thirdly, the new dynamic gives the show added freshness, with the fighters choosing their camp offering a new scenario never done before on TUF. Watching the coaches sell their camp or try and lead a fighter away from it makes for cracking viewing. The coaches are a good mix as well, you have household names like Couture and Shamrock along with MMA premier Trainer in Greg Jackson it makes the show seem more legit.Warren I scoffed at as a choice, but he maybe the smartest choice. Warren coaching will help his status, and unlike the other coaches he is the only one in a position to help draw money by actually fighting in the cage. By rubbing shoulders with the other coaches it makes Warren seem a big deal, he seems a colourful type that will divide opinions and hold his own despite being the least famous. A wise move by Bellator to have a fresh face in there as well to shake the format up even moreJimmy Smith does a good job as presenter, who? you may ask. Well its the guy who introduces the fighters and also does commentary on Bellator shows, unlike Dana on TUF he does his job and concentrates on the fighters being the star and seems to have no wish to make himself a star. That is a welcome change from the Rogan's and Dana's of the world.Which team would I pick? Frank's of course as I am mark of his to the highest degree, the best camps I think will be Jackson's and amazingly Warren's. Jackson because he is simply Jackson will offer the best expertise going. Warren is fresh to this stuff so will not have burn out and be eager to impress , so I see him doing a decent job.Frank I am biased with, but he seems to legit care about fighters and the sport so I think he could do okay with his camp. Couture? well his camp in the real world has been slipping for years, plus I would speculate is the fighter most likely to be their for the cash. It is also worth recalling his team was woeful on TUF 1 and got trounced by Liddel's team and that most of his ex-teammates will not have a bar of him. I suspect he maybe the coach to avoid despite being the one that fighters are most likely to be romanticised by.All in all a good show and the most I have enjoyed Reality MMA since Fight Factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted June 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 Just watched it. Can't really add much that hasn't been said already. On first impressions, VIVA's coverage was good, they didn't piss about with the show or edit stuff out like Bravo did with Strikeforce towards the end. The 48 hour delay is the only negative. Just echoing really, Mo's KO was brutal, that was just what Mo probably needed to get his confidence back. Minakov is the first Bellator heavyweight in a while who looks promising, a lot of them look like they're there just to make up the numbers but Minakov could be one to watch.Babalu's retirement bit was actually a nice moment moreso than sad. The whole leaving the gloves in the cage thing was what I suggested for Wanderlei when we were speculating he might retire at the Japan show earlier this year. That picture above is pretty cool.Haven't watched the reality show yet. I'll take a look at it over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted June 22, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 Jimmy Smith is my favorite colour man in MMA, he's great.My only gripe with what i saw on Viva (i downloaded the show but flicked over to peek Viva's coverage) was the picture quality, it was shoddy. I think it's because im used to watching MMA in HD these days...guess im just fussy though.i constantly moan about Boxnation's picture quality too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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